Adjustable wrench



`Y June 23, 1931. J, PEHRSSON 1,811,148

ADJUSTABLE WRENCH Filed Dec, 17, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 1 June 23, 1931. J. PEHRSSON' 1 1,811,148

ADJUSTABLE WRENCH Filed Dec. 17. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ill Patented `lune 23, A1931 UNfiirE-D ESTATE-'s PATENT onirica JOHN `PEI-IRS'SJOl', 0F SKILLINGRYD, SW'EDEN y Anrusrnnnn Wannen Application Vfiled. Al'lecember -1-7, -1929,--Serial No. 414,744, and inv'SwedenlJaniiaryf'lL 1929.

die Yfor the purpose of obtaining the de si'red gripping action =coaets with another .jaw :movably mounted in the handle, `or in a wrench 'head Vconnected therewith, such movable aw being combined `with a `.toothed meniber or rack which, for the purpose of adjustment, stands in vpermanent engagement with a toothed Vtransmisison member pivota'lly mounted 1in said handle or wrench head. v

Adjustable wrenches 'of Athe kind referred to above are already known, 'and the invention has fer its .primary `object 'te provide impro-vcd means for 'locking `.the adjustable jaw A'in its desired positions relatively =to 'the' fixed ene, whereby the ysaid locking rof 'the adjustable jaw -and hence, gripping Iwidth of the wrench according 'to the invention are effected by locking means 4coacting vwith kthe rotatable itra-nsmission niember,:orwith some -part rigidly connected therewith and acting against a fixed abutmentsurface on the handle `or wrenclirliead, so that the adjustable .jaw is locked indirectly by the intermediary offsaid 'transmission vmem'ber.

Accordingto a preferred vembodiment'of the invention the locking member lis con struct'ed in the forni of an automatically acting 'friction locking means, so that the adjustable isautomaticallyiloeked after adjustment as soon ras'the adjusting fmember is released. 'itis tojbe understood, however, that the 'locking lmeans Yneed fnot by necessity act by means of friction, although locking means of this 'kind are to be ipreferredyand it 'may also act by means of teeth-or serrations and consist for kinstance of a fnumber of flocking pawls,vas will ybe more 'fully eX- plained in the following.

By using a locking means of `the ikiiid stated the advantage is gained, however, that the locliing of the adjustable jaw may beeffected in any position independentlyfo'f the pitch ofthe coacting toothed yparts-serving the purpose of transmitting the \move ment 4between the` transmission member Vand @the fixing' #of the j the yadjustable ijawi; .and by .permitting the locking means -to act on itlie transmission member instead of Iacting directly on :the adjustable jaw, the 'parts required for the locking can be positioned backwardly towards the `handle end of the .wrenelnvso that they Ado jnot Icause any 4unnecessary increase of dimensions at the forward 'end ofthe same, 1. e. adjacent to thegrippingjaws. Ain

increase of'dimensions at such flatter place Vis frequently disadvantageous.sand :to be considered as a drawbacli,'especially when the wrench tis to tbe used on yscrews Ior nuts in Vdifficultly-accessible positions. Besides, rthe lentire device according 'to lthe invention for transmitting fthe movement between the ad- Y justing member and the adjustable jaw and for locking the latter iis Yconstructed in such a manner that it does -not substantially increase the dimensions :of the handle lor wrench headbeyond the dimensions required in Jan-y rcase vfor the sake fof strength.

:In the following theA invention is Ito vbe described with reference itothe laccompanying fdrawings showing' a number of embodiments fthereof'.V vIn :the drawings:-

' Fig. 1slio-wsa plan view-of the wrench,

Eig. 2 is asimilar .plan Aview in which the adjusting 4member is removed for the apurpose of showing the :interior construction, and f l `IF-ig. 3 is a section von the line 3-3 in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 isa section rthrough 'the wrenchv head-at iright` angles 'to the aXis of rotation of Athe rotatable parts, 'showing a modified form of the 'transmission means `for causing the adjusting movement of 'the movable '.jaw,

and

Fig. 5 vin zthe same, manner shows still another embodiment thereof.

.lFig 6 Yshows a .plan View of a Vmodified form of the adjustingmember, and

Fig. 7 showsfafside elevation-of lthe latter.

Fig. 8 is a1plan viewof the wrench show-` ing another modified form 'of the :adjusting member, and

`Fig. 9 vis 'a section on the line 9#9 .in Fig. 8.

ig. 10 .is .a Vplan view showing stillgan-v Y ably mounted in the Wrench head 2 and other modiication of the adjusting member.

Fig. 11 is a vieW similar to Fig. 2 but showing an embodiment of the invention in Which the friction locking means is substituted by locking pawls, and

Fig. 12 is a section on the line 12-12 in F 11.

Referring to Figs. 1-3, 1 is the Wrench handle and 2 a head member thereon, such head member being rigidly connectedk With a lined janv 3. An adjustable jaw 4L is slidprovided fith a toothed rack portion 5 in mesh With a toothed Wheel 6 rotatably mounted in the Wrench head on the bolt 7, the Wrench head being provided With a cylindrical bore 8 surrounding the Wheel 6, which latter tits rather snugly in the bore, as will be understood from Fig. 2.

At one side, the Wrench head 2 is provided With a cylindrical countersnnk portion 9 positioned coaxially with the bore S and forming a seat for a .locking disc 10 suitably aiiixed to the Wheel G or consistructed in one piece therewith, so that the said Wheel and disc Will rotate as a common unit. At its free edge the disc 10 is provided With a number of peripheral recesses 11, the bottom faces of Which are excentrically positioned or otherwise tapering in relation to the cylindrical inner face of the countersunlr portion 9. Accor ing to Figs. 1-3 the number of such recesses-is four, but any other number thereof can be used.

In each of the recesses 11 there is provided a ballor roller 12 acted upon by a spring 13 tending to press tie same towards the restricted end of the corresponding recess, so as to obtain, in this Way, by means of the ball or roller 12, a frictional locking action between the disc 10 and the inner cylindrical face of the countersunk portion 9, such face forming a iXed locking abutment for the disc and, consequently, also tor the toothed Wheel 6 connected with the latter. Hence, the adjustable jaw will also be locked by the same means. In this connection it is specically to be understood that the members 12 need not by necessity be given the shape of balls or rollers, although this shape is to be preferred, but they may also take the form of Wedge-shaped blocks for the same purpose.

yOutside of the disc 10, the interior cavity of the Wrench head and the parts of construction at hand therein are covered by means ot Washer 14 (removed in Fig. 2), such Washer serving as an adjusting member. For this purpose the Washer 14 is provided With one or more radial arms 15 (Fig. 1) so as to be turned by hand for manual adjustment of the gripping Width, i. e. the distance between the jaws. The Washer lt is provided with a number of inwardly projecting pins 16. One ot such pins 16 is lo- `to the bolt 7,

cated in each of the recesses at that side of the movable locking member 12 therein opposite to the side acted upon by the corresponding spring 13, from Which it Will be understood Without further explanation that a turning movement of the Washer 14 in a direction to displace the locking members 12 in opposition to the springs, Will release the disc l0 and thereby also the Wheel 6 and the adjustable jaw 4.

In order to arrest the disc 10 a little during the adjustment, said disc is acted upon by one or more friction brakes or arresters of a resilient kind. An embodiment thereof is shown in Fig. 3, according to Which the end of a pin 17 acted upon by a spring 18 is in Contact with the inner face of the disc 10 and serves the purpose of arresting the saine. The aforesaid arresting members are mounted in a correspondin bore in the Wrench head, and a plurality o such means can naturally be at hand if desired.

The end of the Wrench head cavity opp0- site to that closed by the Washer 14, is closed by a similar Washer 19 (Fig. 3), and said Washers may be interconnected by means of the central bolt 7 serving asa shaft for the rotatable parts. The Washer 19 need not rotate during the adjustment, as the result Will be the same even if it is rotated together With the Washer 14:. Therefore both of the Washers can be rigidly affixed or the Washer 14 can be rotatably mounted thereon. On the other hand the Washer 14 can also be afiixed to the bolt, and the latter rotatably mounted in the Washer 19. p

In order to make it possible to reduce the thickness of the Wrench head, the modifications according to Figs. Je and 5 an be used. In `these embodiments the disc 1()a is directly provided with teeth 6a at a part of its circumference, so that they disc and the toothed segment thus formed are positioned substantially in the same plane. As the toothed segment 6a occupies a part of the circumference of the disc, the recesses 11 cannot be equally spaced all around the circumferenceas in Figs. 1-3, but must occupy only the part not occupied by the toothed segment. According to Fig. 4 the disc is provided Witha single recess 11 only and forms substantially a double-armed lever, one arm of which is provided With teeth and the other with the locking recess. According to Fig. 5 the recesses are positioned to the full extent of that part ofthe circumference of the disc not occupied by the toothed segment, and they are three in number. In other respects the modifications according to Figs. 4 and 5 are identical with the embodiment first described, and in each of the recesses there are provided a locking member 12, a spring 13 and a pin 16, Which latter is connected With an adjusting mem- 'bersimilar -to'that one describedfabove. Ar-

resting means 'ofa kind similar to the means 17, 18 may also be used in connection with -lthe 4modifications Vshown 1in 'Figs. 4 `and 5, especially in connection 'with .the latter; `and -for thev purpose 'of aising fsimilar arresting means in connection 'with Ethe 'vmodifica'tion according 4to Fig. 4, they part `of y'the 'disc near lst to the recess 11 may be provided `with 'a peripheral extension adapted for co- Aaction with such arresting means (not shown in the drawings).

Infthe modification of the adjusting `means shown in ArFigs. 16 :and 37, the washer 14 Lis constructed in the manner "described .above and provided withfinwar'dly projecting vpins 16; but the washer' 19 described above is replaced by a washer 19a shaped exactly the same as-the washer-141. BOthiofthe l.Washers 14 and l19afa're provided with V,arms 15a and 15b, respectively, Iextending in the same direction; Vand lsaid arms are interconnected by means lof a lbolt'QO and-asleeve-shaped distance piece 21, so :that they `will libe rotated simultaneously during :the vadjustanent in va manner easily understood without further explanation. Besides, the washers let and 19 are also interconnected by imean-s of the'cent-ralbolt?a which #serves-'as a Apivot for the rotatable parts, as described above. Thismodili'cation lof the adjusting means may naturally vbe used only @ifthe `Washers are to 'be turned through a comparatively small angle 'for a complete adjustment Aof the whole 'width of the grip, '-Will feasily be understood, and in such Lease the fhandle 1 need not take that fan'gular 'position with respect to the path lof vrelativel :movement fo-f the aws as show-n in tthe drawings, but may be positioned substantially ipar'allel to su'c'h path of movement, er 'at --a small angle to the same. Y

According '-to Figs.-8 aand 9 fthe wrench head 2, -a't that part facingjback-wardly atowards the fhandle 1, iis Iprovided with :a vcircumferential groove '22 for -coactionwith 4'a correspondingflange orshoulderQB f91) on the rear side-ofthe arm 15Con lthe adjusting member 14 provided 'with the pins 116,;as describedabove. A tool -of the kind-in question will often be thrown about'ina xrather careless manner, and the purpose-of the-construction just described -isto prevent the arm 15c from being bent,or lthe rather thin adjusting member 'from 'being deformed, if the arm 15c for instance should be struck a heavy blow from the rear side.

According to Fig. the adjusting member or washer 14 is provided with a plurall ity of arms d, and the ligure shows four 0f them. This embodiment is to be used when the gearing ratio between the toothed transmission members adapted for displacement of the movable jaw is such that the adjusting member 14 must be turned more than one half @revolution 'for a complete adjustment between 'the minimum and maximum gripping wdiths.

The 'modifications just described and shown in Figs. '8,9 and 10 respectively may of course 'be used lin connection With any or all of the embodiments of the Wrench described With reference to IFigs. 1-,5 above.

According to Figs. 11 and 12'the locking disc 1Obconnected with the toothed wheel 6 ait-thecircumference'isprovided With a number of pivotally mountedlocking pawls 24, which are-spring lactuated so as to have a permanent tendency to go into engagement with a toothed ring 25, rigidly mounted Within the cavity-of the Wrench head. The adjusting Washer (removed in Fig. 11) is provided with pins 16 Whichproj ect behind the-paWl-s 24 for disengagingithe same when said washer is turned in a counter `clockwise direction. One of the pins 162L acts to form a-driving means for the Alocking disc when thepawls are disengaged, vand for such purpose the said pin coacts with aspring 26 mounted in a circumferential recess inthe disc. rl-he 'said spring is guided by a circumferentially extending pin that also forms an-abutment for 'the pin 16a for limiting the compression of the spring, and an arc-shaped plate 27 protects the turns of the.

spring from interfering with the teeth on the ring when the locking disc is to be turned. Y

`Wiliat I claim and desire `to secure by Letters Patent .is

`-1. .An adjustable Wrench comprising a handle member, a Wrench head rigidly connectedthere-with and provided with ati-ansverse cavity one edge of which 'forms a 'tilted locking abutment, a fixed jaw rigidly connectedvvith said head, an adjustable jaw mounted in the head for movement in relation to the liXedone, a'toothed rack member connectedwith the -adjustaale jaw, a disc rotatably mounted within said cavity, means connected with the disc and provided with a peripheral row of teeth positioned in mesh with said toothed rack, the edge oty said disc having circumferentially Vextending recesses facing the fixed' abutment surface, locking means provided within said recesses and adapted for ooact-ion with said abutment surface, means for effectingy an automatic locking action of said lockingmeans, and means for manually releasing the locking `means in counteraction to `the means for effecting the automatic 'locking action.v

An adjustable wrench according to claim 1 and comprising the additional feature that the releasing means consists of a disc rotatably mountedin the wrench head and lprovided 'with "means projecting inwardly into the circumferentially extending recesses -in the disc member. f

CII

3. An adjustable wrench according to claim 1 and comprising the additional teatures that the peripherally toothed means and the manual releasing means are all rotatably mounted around a common axis of rotation, anc. that the fixed locking abutment consists of a surface within the wrench head cavity, which surface is concentric with the common axis of rotation.

l. An adjustable wrench comprising a handle member and a wrench head rigidly connected therewith, a iixed awrigidly connected with said head, an adjustable jaw mounted in the head for movement in relation to the xed one, a toothed rack memer connected with the adjustable jaw, a transmission member rotatably mounted in the wrench head and provided with peripheral teeth in mesh with said toothed rack, a locking disc connected with said transmission member and provided at its circumference wi li a number of j )eripherally extending recesses, a. corresponding abutment surface in the wrench head located in opposition to said recesses and forming together with the wrench head a corresponding number of spaces tapering towards one end, a movable locking means in each ot' said spaces, spring means 'for pressing said locking means towards the smaller ends oi the spaces, an adjusting member rotatably mounted in the wrench head and provided with inwardly projecting` pin members positioned at that side of the movable locking means not acted upon by the springs, and means for manually rotating the adjusting member.

5. An adjustable wrench. comprising a handle member and a wrench head rigidly connected therewith, a fixed jaw rigidly connected with said head, an adjustable jaw mounted in the wrench head tor movei'nent in relation to the tixed one the wrench head ha ing a transverse cavity extending therethrough, a transmission member rotatably mounted within said cavity and provide-d with aY peripheral row oi teeth, a toothed raer member connected with the adjustable jaw and meshing with the teeth of the transmission member, ay locking disc rigidly connected with said transmission member, a concentric abutment surface within said vavity positioned in opposition to said disc, automatically-acting interlocking means posi ioned between said disc member and abutment surface, an adjusting washer positioned as a closure the cavity in the wrench head at one side of the latter, means for effecting manual rotation ot the said washer, inwardly extending projections on the adjusting washer tor releasing the interlocking means, a washer member closing the cavity at the opposite side of the wrench head, and a transverse bolt member interconnecting the said washers and forming a common axis of rotation for the transmission member, the locking disc member and the adjusting washer.

6. An adjustable wrench according to claim 5 and comprising the additional feature that the closure Washer placed in opposition to the adjusting washer is combined with the latter so as to rotate together therewith.

7. An adjustable wrench comprising a handle member and a wrench head -combined therewith, a fixed jaw connected with the wrench head, an adjustable jaw mounted in said head for movement in relation to the fixed one, a toothed rack member connected with the adjustable jaw, a toothed transmission member rotatably mounted in the wrench head in mesh with said toothed rack member, a locking disc connected with the ytransmission member to rotate together therewith, a fixed abutment surface in the wrench head, automatically-acting locking means interposed between said locking disc and abutment surface, arresting means hav'- ing a limited power of retardation acting upon said locking disc, and a manually-operable adjusting means for releasing said locking means.

8. An adjustableI rwrench comprising a handle member, and a wrench head rigidly connected therewith, a fixed jaw connected with the wrench head, and an adjustable jaw mounted in said head displaceably in relation to said fixed jaw, a toothed rack member connected with the adjustable jaw, a toot-hed. transmission member mounted to rotate around a xed axis in the wrench head and positioned in mesh with said toothed rack member, a ixed abutment surface in the wrench head rigidly connected with the handle member, a locking disc rotatably mounted around the same fixed axis as the toothed transmission member, locking means interposed between said abutment surface and the locking disc, means for automatically actuating said locking means for the purpose of locking, and means for manual release of said locking means.

9. An adjustable wrench according to claim 8, and comprising the additional teature that the locking means consists of a friction locking device.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHAN PEHRSSON. 

